Energy Program Receives USDA Grant

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A new grant will help fund a model energy program that provides farmers and rural businesses with assistance to finance and install renewable and energy efficiency projects.

This program, launched by Cascade Pacific Resource Conservation and Development (CPRCD), will help agricultural producers and rural small businesses take advantage of energy improvement funding. Oregon has one of the highest number of energy incentives in the country, yet funding programs are vastly underutilized. Up to 100 percent of the cost of developing and installing a project can be recovered by grants, rebates and tax credits.

The CPRCD Energy Program is made possible with a recently awarded $75,000 Conservation Innovation Grant from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. The funding is being used to create a model energy program that can be replicated nationwide.

CPRCD Energy Program Manager Terry Johnson provides consultations at no charge on 1) qualifying projects for grant incentives and federal and state tax credits, 2) costs for audits and feasibility studies, and 3) ballpark estimates of energy savings and pay back time. Growers and business owners who decide to proceed with a project will receive “one stop” services for a fee that depends on the size and complexity of the project. Services include guidance through the bidding process, project facilitation, and grant packaging.

Cascade Pacific RC&D is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization serving Benton, Lane, Lincoln Linn, Polk and Marion counties. Many programs extend beyond these boundaries, including the Energy Program, which serves northwest Oregon.

For more information on the Energy Program, contact Terry Johnson at terry@casco.net or 541-760-6444. For information about Cascade Pacific RC&D, visit www.cascadepacific.org.